In their second season as starters, Kaepernick and Wilson have cemented their status as two of the NFL's brightest young quarterbacks, but it's not because of their performances against their teams' bitter rivals.

They'll hope to alter that script Sunday in Seattle, where Kaepernick has posted the worst passer rating of his 28-start career (20.1) and had five turnovers in the two worst losses of the Jim Harbaugh era. Even in his lone career win against the Seahawks - a 19-17 home victory in December - Kaepernick had his lowest rating (67.5) in his past nine games.

On Wednesday, Kaepernick dismissed the idea that Seattle's top-ranked defense has his number.

"I wouldn't say that," Kaepernick said. "I think the biggest thing is we haven't played well when we went up there and they do have a good defense. So we have to go up and we have to execute at a high level."

Meanwhile, Wilson was sensational in a 42-13 win against the Niners in December 2012 - throwing four touchdown passes - but he has a 47.8 completion percentage and 62.0 rating in their other three meetings.

He'll arrive on the heels of a 23-15 divisional-playoff win against the Saints in which he completed 9 of 18 passes for 103 yards and had several off-target attempts. On Wednesday, he said "I need to get better, first of all."

"I think the biggest thing is be more accurate on a couple throws I normally make," Wilson said. "That's what it comes down to. It's nothing I need to search deep down for or go study a whole bunch for. It's just put the ball on the money."

If the regular season was any indication, Kaepernick or Wilson could advance to the Super Bowl while playing a supporting role Sunday.

In a 29-3 win against the 49ers in Week 2, Wilson completed 8 of 19 passes and had his third-lowest rating of the season (63.9). The victory was headlined by Lynch, who had 98 rushing yards and three touchdowns (one receiving), and a defense that allowed 207 yards.

Similarly, the 49ers' win Dec. 8 featured Gore (110 yards) and a defense that surrendered three points in the second half.

That could prove to be the winning formula Sunday in a matchup of two of the five NFL teams that had more rushing attempts than passes. The 49ers attempted the fewest passes in the league (417) and the Seahawks the second-fewest (420). They also don't allow many points, with Seattle ranking first in that category (14.4) and San Francisco third (17).

It's a quarterback-driven league, but Seattle head coach Pete Carroll noted that both teams are built to win, even if their quarterbacks don't play a starring role on certain Sundays.

"I think there's a fundamental approach to the game of football that we share," Carroll said. "It's about playing tough, and playing physical, and playing defense, and relying on a really obvious running-game emphasis.

"It's historically the best way to (win) football games forever and it continues to show itself again."